Cabinet assembly



C. E. SHOLTES Nov. 7, 1967 CABINET AS SEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1966 FIG. 5

INVEN TOR CARL E. SHOLTES y ATTORNEY c. E. SHOLTES Nov.

CABINET ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 21, 1966 Sheets-Shee United States Patent 3,351,4ua CABINET ASSEMBLY Carl E. Sholtes, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 58Lii49 6 Claims. (Ci. 312-411) This invention relates to structure for assembling two or more rectangular, box-shaped, upright, floor-supported cabinets together in side-by-side relation to provide a unitary assembly presenting a pleasing appearance.

An installation according to the invention will typically include a bottle water cooler as a main component with either a storage cabinet, or a small refrigerator cabinet, or both, flanking the water cooler.

An object of the invention is the provision of a modular system of a water cooler and other components adapted for assembly in various arrangements suited to the needs and desires of the user.

Another object is the provision of an assembly kit comprised of components which are largely interchangeable and which may be readily modified to suit the particular installation to effect manufacturing economies and to reduce inventory requirements.

It has been determined that as a practical matter a bottle water cooler will in some cases be used with a storage cabinet alone, in other cases with a refrigerator cabinet alone, and in still other cases with both a storage cabinet and a refrigerator cabinet flanking the water cooler. The assembly structure according to the invention has thus been devised to accommodate a combination of either two or three cabinet components. For standardization of manufacture, the storage cabinet door is hinged on one side while the refrigerator cabinet door is hinged on the opposite side so that with proper assembly the door of either of these components swings away from the water cooler.

The basic parts of the assembly kit include bracket means for spacing and securing the lower part of each adjacent pair of cabinets at the proper distance, a top section which includes a peripheral frame encompassing a top wall panel which is end-for-end reversible in the two cabinet size, means for securing the top section to the top portion of the cabinets to obtain the proper spacing of the top parts of the cabinets, and a vertical trim member to cover the gap between each pair of adjacent cabinets, the trim member being provided with means at its lower end for engagement with the spacing bracket means, and at its top end being disposed for engagement with the top section to hold the trim member in its proper place.

The parts are designed so that a single kit may be used for the combination of either a water cooler and storage cabinet, or a water cooler and refrigerator cabinet, by simply changing the top wall panel end-for-end in one of the two combinations. The base bracket means which provide the spacing and securement at the bottom of the cabinets is adapted for use in either combination. In the case of either a double or triple cabinet combination, the assembly may be easily effected by one person using ordinary basic tools.

The invention will be described in more detail in the accompanying drawing illustrating a triple cabinet combination by way of example, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded isometric view of a triple cabinet combination with the parts in various stages of assembly;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section corresponding to one taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1 with the parts in assembled relation;

FIG. 3 is a partly-broken face view of the underside of the left end of the top section shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower side of the water cooler with the base bracket installed against the side of the water cooler and with the vertical trim member in a position approaching installation;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of one end of a pair of base brackets assembled together;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in the nature of the horizontal section showing the vertical trim disposed to cover the gap between the front edges of adjacent cabinets; and

FIG. 7 is a top view of a top section adapted for a double cabinet installation.

The invention will be described mainly in connection with a three component assembly as in FIG. 1 including a water cooler 10, a storage cabinet 12 flanking the water cooler on the left, and a refrigerator 14 flanking the water cooler on the right. The shell structure of each of the components is generally the same in that each comprises a wrap-over casing which is secured at its bottom on opposite sides to a base. Details of this type of construction are described in my simultaneously filed copending US. patent application S.N. 581,028. The front edge of each of the cabinet shells includes an inset, inside corner formed by turning the edge back upon itself and leaving an inwardly-projecting right angle flange along each side and the top. The rear edge of the water cooler shell is formed with the same shape, while the rear edge of the storage cabinet and refrigerator cabinet shells are simply provided with an inwardly-directed flange flush with the rear face of the cabinets.

The storage cabinet door 16 is pivotally carried at its left edge by a top hinge 18 and a lower hinge (not shown) while the refrigerator door 20 is pivoted along its right edge by the top hinge 22 and a lower hinge (not shown). The hinges i8 and 22 may be of the relatively simple pint le type fastened to the top of the shell structure since they are ultimately covered by the top section generally designated 24*. When the three cabinets are assembled together, the front edges of the cabinet shells are aligned in a common vertical plane, with the cabinet door 16 and refrigerator door 20 lying forwardly of this plane, and the panel front face of the cooler being recessed slightly relative to the door fronts. The top faces of the flanking cabinets are aligned with the top 28 of the water cooler cabinet.

Each adjacent pair of cabinets is secured together in spaced relation at the bottom by a pair of base brackets 30 and 32. Both of the brackets 30 and 32 have essentially the same shallow channel-shape in longitudinal section. However one bracket, designated 32 in the drawing, is slightly longer than the other so that the front and rear right angle flanges of bracket 32 will lap the respective flanges of bracket 30. The lapping front flanges of these brackets after installation is shown in FIG. 5.

The bracket 30 is secured to the left side 26 of the water cooler by first removing a screw 34 (FIGS. 1 and 4) which secures the cooler cabinet side 26 water cooler cabinet to the water cooler base (not shown). The bracket 30 is then located as shown in FIG. 1, and the screw is inserted through the lower of two holes provided near the front of the bracket web portion 30. The rear screw 36 is then loosened from the right side 26 of the water cooler and the base bracket 30 pivoted down with the screw 36 being received in the lower of a pair of opposite edge open end slots 38 near the rear of the bracket. Both screws are then tightened. The same procedure is then followed in attaching the longer base bracket 32 to the storage cabinet. In the case of the longer bracket 32 however, the slotted openings 40 are preferably disposed at the front of the storage cabinet. After the base brackets 30 and 32 are installed on the respective cabinets, the cabinets are moved together until the front flange 42 of bracket 30 is overlapped by the front flange 44 of bracket 32 as shown in FIG. 5. The rear flanges of these brackets lap in the same manner. One or more screws 46 are then turned into the holes provided in these right angle flanges at the front and rear of the brackets. The installation of the brackets with the slotted openings 38 at opposite ends from each other permits limited vertical adjustment of one lapping flange relative to the other to facilitate the alignment of holes through which the screws 46 pass.

The base bracket structure between the water cooler and the refrigerator compartment is the same as that between the water cooler and the storage cabinet. When a three unit assembly as shown in FIG. 1 is to be made, the base brackets between each adjacent pair of compartments are installed first in the manner outlined above.

After the adjacent pairs of cabinets are secured together at the bottom with the proper spacing by means of the base brackets, the installation of the top section 24 proceeds. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the top section 24 generally includes a peripheral frame and a plastic laminate panel insert 48 carried by the frame. The front 50 of the frame and the opposite ends 52 of the frame comprise a single extruded member which has mitered cutouts to permit forming the right angle corners with an unbroken face portion of the frame at each front corner. As best seen in FIG. 2, the frame section includes an inwardlyture the rear edge of the panel insert and includes an underlying structure which terminates in a depending flange 60 through which fasteners are inserted to secure the rear edge of the top section to the top rear corner of the cabinets. These fasteners which secure the flange 60 to the cabinets are all identified by the numeral 62 in the drawing although some are longer than others in accordance with the particular structure of the rear top edge of the various cabinets. Thus as shown in FIG. 2 illustrating the relationship of the top section 24 to the water cooler cabinet, the flange of the water cooler which receives the fastener 62 is inset from the rear face of the water cooler and accordingly the screw fastener 62 shown is of greater length than those used with the storage cabinet and refrigerator which have flanges flush with the rear face of the components. The rear member 56 of the top section frame is secured to the end sections 52 of the frame by means of a fastener 64 at each rear corner of the top section. These fasteners 64 may be removed in the case of a two cabinet combination to permit turning the panel insert 48 end-for-end so that the water bottle opening 66 in the top (FIG. 7) is correctly located for the particular two cabinets to be assembled.

To secure the front edge of the top section 24, Z-shaped clamps 68 (FIGS. 13) are used. However, before these front clamps 68 are tightened, vertical trim members 70 are installed to close the front gaps between cabinets. The trim members are generally T-shaped in lateral crosssection and are dimensioned so that the outer edges of the bar portion of the T will seat on the vertical edge portions of the cabinets defining the gap. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the lower end of each vertical trim member has a portion of the stem cut out to form a hook 72 which seats upon the right angle flanges 42 and 44 of the base brackets. The trim member 70 shown in FIG. 4 is shown in a position just prior to being seated.

The means shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 for insuring that the lower end of the trim member 70 remains centered in the gap between the adjacent pair of cabinets is a resilient block 74 (such as a polyurethane foam) provided with a slit in one face so that the spacer can be slipped onto the stem of the vertical trim and be frictionally held thereon. The spacer fits between the opposing faces of the cabinets.

After the vertical trim members have been seated at the bottom, the top of the vertical trim members are guided rearwardly into a position in which their front edges at the top are held in place behind a rubber bumper 76 (FIG. 2) slipped on a flange on the underside of the front frame portion. After the top of the vertical trim member has been positioned correctly relative to the bumper so it is more or less wedged into place (being restrained from rearward movement by its overlapping bar edges and restrained from forward movement by the bumper), the front edge of the top section is finally secured in place by turning the fasteners 78 up through the forward flange portion of the top clamps 68 and into the thickened portion of the front frame section. As shown in FIG. 2, the rear lip of the front clamps engages the underside of the forwardlyrojecting edge of the top of the cabinet shell. It will be understood that prior to installing the front clamps 68, the rear fasteners securing the rear portion of the top section to the cabinets are left sufficiently loose to permit manipulating the front part of the top section in the mode just described.

To accommodate the raised hinges 18 and 22 of the storage cabinet and refrigerator, the underside of each forward corner (as best shown in FIG. 3) has a part of the frame cut out to form a hinge recess 80. The underside of the top section (FIG. 3) also carries several slabs of resilient plastic foam material 82 which seat upon the top faces of the various components when the top section is installed and prevents up-and-down rattling movement of the top section relative to the cabinets.

The completed assembly provides a relatively pleasing appearance with substantially all raw parts and edges hidden. The parts used with either a two cabinet com bination or a three cabinet combination are for the most part common to each other with the exception of the frame and panel insert for the top section which must obviously be of different lengths. However, the same frame material is used in either case with respect to its lateral cross section. Regardless of whether the assembly consists of a storage cabinet and Water cooler, or a refrigerator and water cooler, the same assembly kit is used. As noted in connection with FIG. 7, the only requirement is that the panel insert be turned end-for-end in those cases where the water bottle hole 66 is in the wrong position. Because of the common character of many of the parts, manufacturing economies are effected, and inventory requirements are reduced.

The assembly may be easily made by one person using ordinary basic tools. Disassembly for repair, and revision or addition of components, may likewise be easily accomplished.

I claim as my invention:

1. An assembly arrangement for securing at least two rectangular, box-shaped, upright, floor-supported cabinets together in side-by-side relation:

a base bracket secured to each cabinet side which faces another cabinet side, each bracket extending in a front-to-rear direction along the cabinet side adjacent the bottom thereof, each bracket having an outwardly projecting right angle flange at each end adapted to lap the respective flange of the opposing bracket;

means to secure each pair of lapping flanges together to establish the spacing between the facing sides and to secure the lower end of the cabinets together;

a unitary top section for said cabinets, said top section including perimetric frame means carrying a top wall panel insert; and

a vertical trim member for closing the front gap between each pair of adjacent cabinets, said trim member including means at its bottom end engaging said bracket flanges, and means carried by said top section for holding the top end of said trim member in place.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

each said base bracket is adapted to be secured to said cabinet side at front and rear locations and each bracket includes vertical slot means at one of said securement locations, said opposing brackets being secured with said slot means of one bracket to the front and the slot means of the other bracket to the rear to accommodate aligning said brackets in a vertical direction at each end.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

said slot means comprises both an upwardly-open and a downwardly-open slot to facilitate installation of a given bracket on either side of a given cabinet.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

said trim member is T-shaped in lateral cross section, the lower end of the stern portion of said T having hook means for engaging said right angle flanges of said base brackets.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4 including:

spacer means carried by the lower part of the stern of said T-shaped strip for centering said strip in the gap between adjacent cabinets.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

said perimetric frame includes an integral member formed into a three sided U-shaped member, the

fourth side of said perimetric frame comprising a separate member, said fourth side being detachable to facilitate the removal and reversal of position of said panel insert.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1915 Morris 312-111 X 3/1917 Williams 312-107 9/1920 Hunt 312-107 5/1921 Forbes 312-107 X 10/1922 Morris 312-107 8/1924 OHara 312-111 X 8/ 1950 Luneke. 7/1952 Earle 312-107 FOREIGN PATENTS 1/1959 France.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ASSEMBLY ARRANGEMENT FOR SECURING AT LEAST TWO RECTANGULAR, BOX-SHAPED, UPRIGHT, FLOOR-SUPPORTED CABINETS TOGETHER IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION: A BASE BRACKET SECURED TO EACH CABINET SIDE WHICH FACES ANOTHER CABINET SIDE, EACH BRACKET EXTENDING IN A FRONT-TO-REAR DIRECTION ALONG THE CABINET SIDE ADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, EACH BRACKET HAVING AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING RIGHT ANGLE FLANGE AT EACH END ADAPTED TO LAP THE RESPECTIVE FLANGE OF THE OPPOSING BRACKET; MEANS TO SECURE EACH PAIR OF LAPPING FLANGES TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH THE SPACING BETWEEN THE FACING SIDES AND TO SECURE THE LOWER END OF THE CABINETS TOGETHER; A UNITARY TOP SECTION FOR SAID CABINETS, SAID TOP SECTION INCLUDING PERIMETRIC FRAME MEANS CARRYING A TOP WALL PANEL INSERT; AND A VERTICAL TRIM MEMBER FOR CLOSING THE FRONT GAP BETWEEN EACH PAIR OF ADJACENT CABINETS, SAID TRIM MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS AT ITS BOTTOM END ENGAGING SAID BRACKET FLANGES, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID TOP SECTION FOR HOLDING THE TOP END OF SAID TRIM MEMBER IN PLACE. 